Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1887-11-30
JEFFERsoN's INGENUITY.
Interesting and Curious Features Of His
Home Il Monticello.

interesting ana Nufious FeAtures o. fsis
Home as Monticello.
think It Is not generally known,
writes Frank Stockton in September
Century, with what pleasure and zeal
Jefferson brought his mind to bear,
not only upon the Development Of bis
somewhat grand idea in regard TO a
home, but,upo the most minute and
peculiar continuance for convenience
and adornment.
He drew plans and made estimates
for nearly everything that was built or
constructed on his place. He calcu-
lated the number Of bricks he used in
every part Of his buildings, and his
family now possess deliberately drawn
plans OF such bits of household furnish
1 ing as s.curtaln va1ences' and the Ike.
Many of his ideas in regard to building
and furnishing he brought with him
from France, but more of them had
their origin in his brain.
There were no bedsteads in his house,
but in every chamber there was an al
cove in the wall in which wooden
frame work was built which supported
the bed. Uis own sleeping arrange
ments during the lifetime OF his wife
were If avery peculiar nature.
In the partition between two cham
bers was an archway, and in this arch
way was the double bed; one chamber
was Mr. Jefferson's 70 nm and the other
was. his wife'ss dressing-room. When
be arose-in the morning he got out of
bed into his own room. and Mrs. JEFF
ferson got out into her room.
After his wife's death her room be-
came his study, and the partition wall
between it and the library being taken
down, the whole was thrown into the
present large apartment. Over the
archway in which the bed is placed is
long closet reached by a stepladder
placed in; another closet at the foot OF
the bed. In this were stored IN sum-
mer the winter clothes of the family.
and in winter the Summer habiliments.
At the other side of the ar.h there is a
small door, SO that persons going from
one room to the other had no need to
chamber over the bed.
In the smaller chamber, when it be-
came. his study, stood Mr.. Jefferson S
writing-chair, which was made to suit
his peculiar needs. The chair itself
was high-backed, well rounded and
cushioned, and in front of it extended
cushioned platform on which Mr..
jefferson found it very pleasant to
stretch his legs, being sometimes troub
led with swellings of the smaller veins
of these limbs. The writing table was
so made that it could be drawn UP
over this platform, legs and all, and
pushed down when not in use. The
top turned on pivot; ON one side OF
1T were his writing materials and
on the other was the little
apparatus by which he made
copies of all his letters. By his side
was another revolving table on which
his books of reference lay, or were
held open at proper angles. Near him
also stood pair of large globes; and.
if he wished to study anything outside
If this world, he had in the room two
long telescopes mounted on brass tri-
pods Convenient also were his vio-
Inns, one Cremonia, and the other
the base viol saved from the Shadwell
fire.
!: Besides the book-shelves and the
somewhat simple furniture of the il
brary, there were a number of oddly
}contriyed little closets, in which were
stored his multitudinous manuscripts
There is writing table now in the
possession of the family which was fire.
quen;ly used by Mr.. Jefferson
md which is ingeniously contrived.
Two of its four legs are
hollow, and in these run rods resting
upon springs by which the table can he
easily elevated, the other two legs be-
ng also extensible, but in differ ent
way. IL,
When Mr.. Jefferson was tired of
writing in sitting position he coule
stand up and raise this table to the de-
sired height. When he wished 10 u.s.
if as reading stand the top could be
Inclined at any angle, and strip OF
arass was brought 10 use to keep tbs
books and papers from sliding off
Opening from the library was a large
room inclosed with glass, which wa
intended for a conservatory, but was
used by Mr.. Jefferson as his workroom
There he had workbench with a
sorts of carpenters tools, with whict
he reconstructed q great many of tn
small conveniences he invented.